Ruggles Green™ Becomes a Certified Green Restaurant™
Houston, TX – December 2008. Ruggles Green (2311 West Alabama, 713-533-0777) is proud to be the newest Certified Green Restaurant™ in Texas, and the only CGR™ in Houston City Proper. Since the concept for the restaurant was born, owner Fred Marques knew he wanted the restaurant to be environmentally responsible. During the building stages, Fred worked with the Green Restaurant Association, a national non-profit, to implement sustainable practices into the development of the restaurant.
Through their work with the GRA, the restaurant has accomplished 10 steps under the GRA guidelines, in an effort to reduce their environmental footprint. Their steps include energy efficient lighting, green building materials like the bamboo used to construct the booths where customers dine, and non-toxic paint used on the walls. The staff is proud to wear organic T-shirts made from hemp, and the restaurant also has a full-scale recycling program and is committed to not using any Styrofoam products.
“Ruggles Green is off to a great start in becoming more environmentally sustainable, and we’re thrilled about their Certified Green Restaurant™ status,” says Michael Oshman, Executive Director of the Green Restaurant Association. “We commend Ruggles Green for the steps they’ve taken and look forward to helping them complete
even more.”
“At Ruggles Green, we recycle everything,” says Federico Marques (affectionately known as the green guy), one of the owners and Director of Green Café Management. “Our fryer oil is recycled and turned into biofuel, all of our plastic, glass, paper, and carboard waste is recycled. And we compost all of our coffee grounds. Our goal is to learn how to operate better, more sustainable, and to provide a great product to our customers.”
The Ruggles Green menu is a diverse collection of comfort foods like Spicy Fish Tacos, Warm Goat Cheese Salad, 98% Lean Buffalo Burger, and Tomato Basil soup with Puff Pastry Top. They also offer wood-fired pizzas like the Organic Margherita Pizza and Hemp Four Cheese Pizza. Most importantly, they serve Organic and All-Natural menu items that received very positive reviews and are working on adding more raw and vegan menu items as well. “Our focus is on using hemp, all-natural, and organic menu items, “ says Chef Bruce Molzan (affectionately known as the cook), one of the owners and Director of Green Café Management. “It has been very difficult to source quality ingredients from reliable sources, but we feel the hard work has paid off. Our customers have been very happy with the product and experience we deliver.” Ruggles Green is open daily from 11AM to 10PM. Ruggles Green will have their Grand Opening all day on January 15, 2009. For more information visit: www.rugglesgreen.com. Chef Bruce Molzan has operated the Ruggles Grill in Houston for over 25 years.
About the Green Restaurant Association
The Green Restaurant Association℠ (GRA), a national non-profit organization, helps the restaurant industry improve its environmental practices through research, environmental consulting, education, and certification. Founded in 1990, long before green was cool, the GRA utilizes a collaborative strategy that involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, community organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers. The GRA’s model provides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurant industry, which represents 10% of the total U.S. economy, to become more environmentally sustainable. The GRA has the world’s largest database of environmental solutions for the restaurant industry and has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and in several other media outlets. For more information visit www.dinegreen.com.
